Maui Fire Department to Publish Report on Hawaii Wildfires Incident

The Maui Fire Department is set to release a report detailing their response to a series of wildfires that ravaged the island during a windstorm last August. Among the fires was one that tragically claimed the lives of 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.

The report, expected to be released on Tuesday, will shed light on the events leading up to and following the devastating fires. This comes just a day before the Hawaii Attorney General is set to release the first phase of a separate comprehensive investigation into the wildfires.

The after-action report, produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, will help officials understand the sequence of events that led to the destruction of roughly 3,000 properties and over $5.5 billion in estimated damage in Lahaina. Similar reports have been released by the Maui Police Department, offering recommendations to improve responses to future emergencies.

Hawaiian Electric has acknowledged that one of its power lines fell and caused a fire in Lahaina on the morning of August 8th. However, the utility company denies that this fire led to the massive blaze that engulfed the town later that day. Numerous lawsuits have been filed by survivors and victims’ families holding entities like Hawaiian Electric and Maui County responsible for the devastation.

The report is expected to provide crucial insights into the tragic events that unfolded during the wildfires, offering lessons for future emergency responses and potentially bringing closure to those affected by the disaster.